AI consumes 4% of U.S. electricity by 2030

6.6 significance by Forecasting Research Institute Compute December 2030

Why does it matter?

Quadrupling AI's slice of the national grid in five years puts data centres into ordinary energy planning.

Direct quote

AI Electricity Consumption. Economists predict growing energy demands for AI. Their 2030 median forecasts for the share of U.S. electricity consumption used by AI are 4.0% for the unconditional scenario, 2.3% for the slow, 4.9% for the moderate, and 7.4% for the rapid, compared to a 2024 baseline estimate of 1%.

Forecasting Research Institute